As families prepare for the back-to-school season, E-Comm is encouraging parents and caregivers to add one more important item to their checklist: teaching children how and when to call 9-1-1.

For many kids, a new school year can mean new routines—such as walking to and from school on their own for the first time, taking public transit, carpooling to games or practices, or using a mobile device or smart watch to stay connected. That’s why it’s essential for children to not only know how to dial 9-1-1, but also to understand that in any emergency, help is just a call away.

“It’s important for children to know that they are never alone. No matter what the emergency is, when you call 9-1-1, there will always be someone on the line who is ready to listen,” says Police Call Taker Laura Fiddler. “The moment you call, a calm and caring voice will answer, ready to get you the help that you need as quickly as possible.”

E-Comm’s Tips for Teaching Kids About 9-1-1

1. Explain when to call 9-1-1

   Use simple language to describe emergencies:

   • • If someone is badly hurt or very sick
     • If there is smoke or fire
     • If they feel unsafe or see a crime happening (like someone stealing or hurting someone)

2. Teach them how to call

   • Show them how to unlock the phone and dial 9-1-1
   • Let them know they can call from a cellphone, even if there’s no service or SIM card
   • If you have access to a landline in your home, teach them the difference between how to dial from a landline vs. a cell phone

3. Help them know what to say

   • When you first dial 9-1-1, an operator will say “do you need police, fire or ambulance” and “for what location”
   • Stay calm and speak clearly
   • Say what is happening, where they are, and who needs help
   • Follow instructions from the call taker and stay on the line until they say it’s okay to hang up

4. Make sure they know their location

   • Practice saying their city and home address, including apartment number and building entry code
   • Teach them how to look for landmarks or street signs if they’re away from home from school

5. Practice through role-playing

   • Go through different emergency scenarios without using a real phone
   • Help them understand what kinds of questions a 9-1-1 operator might ask

6. Explain the importance of using 9-1-1 responsibly

   • Let them know that 9-1-1 is only for real emergencies
   • Remember to lock and store their devices carefully. If they do call by mistake, encourage them to stay on the line and let the operator know that they are safe.
   • Making prank calls can stop someone else from getting the help they need

E-Comm also reminds parents that language should never be a barrier. Our call takers can access interpretation services in over 200 languages. Children should be reassured that if they need help, someone will be there to listen.

Emergencies can happen anytime, even when adults aren’t around. That’s why it’s so important to make sure your children know how to call 9-1-1 before they head back to school in September. Knowing how to call gives kids confidence, helps them act quickly when seconds matter, and reassures them that a calm, trained professional will always be there to send help.

-30-

About E-Comm

E-Comm is the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in 25 regional districts in British Columbia and provides dispatch services for more than 70 police agencies and fire departments across the province. E‐Comm also owns and operates the largest multi‐jurisdictional, tri‐service, wide‐area radio network in the province used by police, fire and ambulance personnel throughout Metro Vancouver and parts of the Fraser Valley.

Media contact
E-Comm
604-215-6248
media@standby.ecomm911.ca

The post Make 9-1-1 Education Part of Your Back-to-School Routine appeared first on E-Comm 9-1-1.

While first responders are busy on the ground, E-Comm’s call takers and dispatchers are working hard behind the scenes to connect the public with the help they need.

Summer has historically been a busy time for E-Comm, with call volumes rising from 25—35% above the springtime average. E-Comm plans for this season year-round, and the Celebration of Light events account for some of the busiest call volumes annually. While additional staff have been scheduled, the fireworks are expected to be a busy event for emergency services, despite the added resources.

To help ensure a safe experience for everyone, E-Comm is sharing the following tips:

• Know when to call 9-1-1: Only call if there’s an immediate risk to life, safety, or property—such as a medical emergency, a crime in progress, or a fire. 9-1-1 is not an information line. If you are unsure, it’s best to err on the side of caution and call 9-1-1 so a call taker can determine what kind of help is needed. Learn more about how to Make the Right Call.
• Prevent pocket dials: Secure your phone before heading out or once you’ve finished taking photos and videos. E-Comm receives hundreds of accidental calls each day. If you dial 9-1-1 by accident, stay on the line and let the call taker know you’re safe.
• Know your location: In a large crowd, this can be difficult. Be ready to provide the name of the beach, park, cross streets, or nearby landmarks to help emergency responders find you faster.
• Answer questions from call takers: E-Comm staff ask specific questions to gather critical details for first responders. Staying calm and following their instructions helps ensure the fastest response possible.

E-Comm thanks everyone for doing their part to ensure a safe and enjoyable Celebration of Light.

Want to learn more? Follow @ecomm911_info on Instagram for live-updates from 7:00pm-11:00pm on July 19, 23 and 26.

-30-

About E-Comm

E-Comm is the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in 25 regional districts in British Columbia and provides dispatch services for more than 70 police agencies and fire departments across the province. E‐Comm also owns and operates the largest multi‐jurisdictional, tri‐service, wide‐area radio network in the province used by police, fire and ambulance personnel throughout Metro Vancouver and parts of the Fraser Valley.

Media contact
604-215-6248
media@standby.ecomm911.ca

The post E-Comm highlights emergency awareness ahead of the Celebration of Light appeared first on E-Comm 9-1-1.

During the Annual General Meeting, Board Chair Doug Campbell recognized the significant strides that have been made throughout the second full year of E-Comm’s Transformation Plan, including the organization’s strongest 9-1-1 and non-emergency service levels in the last eight years. More details are provided in the 2024 Annual Report and Financial Statements, posted today.

Campbell is stepping away from Board Chair, a position he has held since 2016. During Campbell’s tenure as Chair, he oversaw some of the most transformative developments in the organization’s 26-year history, from the new Wide-Area Radio Network and the South Island 9-1-1/Police Dispatch centre, to laying the foundation for Next Generation 9-1-1. Campbell was recognized for his passion for public safety and his unwavering commitment to the success and future of E-Comm.

Nancy Kotani was named as the incoming Board Chair, after serving on the Board since 2020. Kotani brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role and E-Comm is proud to welcome her as Chair.

“At the heart of every emergency response are the call-takers, dispatchers, technologists and support staff who serve as the vital link between those in crisis and first responders,” says Campbell. “On behalf of the Board, we want to extend our deepest gratitude and appreciation to everyone at E-Comm. Thank you for your resilience, dedication, and tireless efforts to protect communities across British Columbia.”

The Board of Directors is responsible for overseeing the company’s strategic planning and direction, finances and operating results. Management is accountable to the Board of Directors for day-to-day operations and administration.

2025-2026 Board of Directors

A second board seat, nominated by the Provincial Government, is to be filled later.

*New director appointed on June 25, 2025

-30-

About E-Comm

E-Comm is the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in 25 regional districts in British Columbia and provides dispatch services for more than 70 police agencies and fire departments across the province. E‐Comm also owns and operates the largest multi‐jurisdictional, tri‐service, wide‐area radio network in the province used by police, fire and ambulance personnel throughout Metro Vancouver and parts of the Fraser Valley.

Media contact
E-Comm
604-215-6248
media@standby.ecomm911.ca

The post E-Comm announces 2025-2026 Board of Directors appeared first on E-Comm 9-1-1.

Richmond RCMP and E-Comm 9-1-1 have partnered on this video project to help increase public awareness around what happens when you call 9-1-1. The video also helps to highlight the critical working relationship between police and call takers on this Emergency Service Dispatchers and 9-1-1 Awareness Week (April 13 to 19, 2025).

“We wanted to pull back the curtain to give an insider’s view on what happens when you call 9-1-1 to help increase the public’s confidence when making a potentially life-saving call,” says Chief Superintendent Dave Chauhan, Officer-in-Charge Richmond RCMP. “The often-unsung heroes are those answering your first call for help. The call takers and dispatchers at E-Comm 9-1-1 play a vital role in community safety in Richmond and beyond, which is why we are proud to partner with them on this important project.”

“Knowing what to expect when you call 9-1-1 and having a greater understanding of the process can help people feel more confident and prepared when it matters most,” says Carly Paice, E-Comm Communications Manager. “Our team of experienced call takers and dispatchers, in close collaboration with police and first responders, work together to help connect callers with the critical help they need, as quickly as possible.”

CALLING 9-1-1

• Call 9-1-1 whenever someone’s life, safety or property is in immediate jeopardy, or if you are witnessing a crime in progress.
• When you call 9-1-1, an operator will ask if you need police, fire, or ambulance. They will also confirm which municipality the help is needed in.
• E-Comm’s job is to connect the caller with the emergency help they need as quickly as possible. The entire process usually takes less than a minute.
• Depending on the call, the caller may be connected with a police call taker, a fire call taker, or a call taker with BC Emergency Health Services, which handles ambulance calls outside of E-Comm.
• If the call is for police, you will be transferred to a police call taker, who will ask you questions about what’s happening.
• The call taker will simultaneously share the information you provide with a dispatcher, who communicates with officers responding on the ground.
• Do your best to stay calm and answer the call taker’s questions. Common questions during emergency calls often include your location (where are you, where is this happening), the nature of the incident (tell us what is going on), parties involved (descriptions of people, vehicles or other entities on scene), timing (when did this occur) and safety (are there any weapons, is anyone hurt). Do not hang up until the call taker says it’s okay.
• Knowing your location is important: an exact address is always best, but major landmarks and cross streets will also help us find you.
• Call takers ask a lot of questions so that they can provide accurate and specific information to first responders. By following their lead, you will help us send help as quickly as possible.
• If you’re ever unsure about whether your situation may be an emergency, please don’t hesitate to call 9-1-1. Our call takers can help determine what kind of assistance you may need.

Quick Facts on E-Comm Call-Taking:

• E-Comm answers 99% of 9-1-1 calls made in B.C.
• In 2024, E-Comm received just over two million 9-1-1 calls
• On average, E-Comm receives more than 5,700 9-1-1 calls each day
• Along with 9-1-1, E-Comm provides emergency and non-emergency call taking and dispatch services for Richmond RCMP.
• In 2024, E-Comm’s records show over 40,000 police emergency calls from Richmond, over 33,000 police non-emergency calls, and more than 70,000 9-1-1 calls.
• E-Comm saw its highest service levels in 8 years in 2024, answering 98% of 9-1-1 calls in 5 seconds or less (target 95%), 90% of police emergency calls in 10 seconds (target 88%), and 80% of police non-emergency calls within three minutes (target 80%).

OTHER CALL-TAKING TIPS

• Call the Richmond RCMP non-emergency number (604-278-1212) for non-urgent situations which do not require an immediate response, such as when there’s a crime but no suspect, the crime occurred a while ago, or to report suspicious activity or ongoing crime issues in an area.
• E-Comm’s non-emergency service improvements include a dedicated call taking team and interactive software that provides callers in the Lower Mainland with wait time estimates and call back requests. The best time to call to take advantage of these improvements is between 7AM to 9PM
• Online reporting is another option for certain types of non-urgent crime. Make an online report to Richmond RCMP here
• Learn more about non-emergency and alternative resources at nonemergency.ca
• Always lock and store your phone carefully. If you do pocket dial 9-1-1 by accident, please stay on the line so we can make sure you are safe.

Richmond RCMP and E-Comm 9-1-1 are proud to be working together to make Richmond the safest community in Canada.

Media Contacts:

Questions pertaining to E-Comm 9-1-1 should be directed to media@standby.ecomm911.ca.

Questions pertaining to Richmond RCMP should be directed to richmond_media@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.

The post What happens when you call 9-1-1? Go behind the scenes with Richmond RCMP and E-Comm 9-1-1 appeared first on E-Comm 9-1-1.

E-Comm is making significant strides in modernizing operations, bolstering staff support, and integrating advanced technology as part of a multi-year Transformation Plan.

2024 marked the second full year of the plan, and E-Comm saw positive results from transformation investments, achieving its best service levels in 8 years for 9-1-1, police/fire emergency and non-emergency call-taking.

“Through the hard work and dedication of our staff, strong collaboration with partners and investment into the Transformation Plan, we are proud to report that 2024 has been a year of measurable progress for E-Comm,” says Nancy Blair, E-Comm’s Chief Transformation Officer. “E-Comm is committed to carrying this momentum into 2025 and beyond, as we strive to provide the best possible service to the public and our first responder partners, while supporting our staff at the heart of public safety in British Columbia.”

Highlights from 2024

• 98% of 9-1-1 calls in 2024 were answered in 5 seconds or less, surpassing the target and achieving the best service level since 2016.
• On behalf of the police agencies it serves, E-Comm exceeded service level targets for police emergency calls in the Lower Mainland, answering 90% of police emergency calls within 10 seconds and 91% on Vancouver Island. E-Comm also exceeded its service level for fire emergency, answering 94% of fire emergency calls within 15 seconds. This marks the highest service level result for fire in 4 years.
• 80% of police non-emergency calls for Lower Mainland police agencies E-Comm serves were answered within 3 minutes or less (up from 63% in 2023 and 44% in 2022).

Key improvements & ongoing efforts

• Fewer abandoned non-emergency calls & faster answer times

The implementation of a dedicated non-emergency team, and the launch of Genesys—a contact centre technology—led to a faster average answering time of 2 minutes, down from 4 minutes in 2023. Genesys provides non-emergency callers in the Lower Mainland with estimated wait times, call-back options and SMS texting of their police file number, enhancing the overall public experience. These improvements have also had a positive impact on the number of abandoned calls to non-emergency, dropping in the Lower Mainland to 15% in 2024, a 50% reduction from 2023.

• Strengthening the workforce

E-Comm focused on recruitment and retention in 2024, by enhancing its training programs to help facilitate more high-demand dispatch positions through e-learning, in-class instruction and peer supported on-the-job coaching. New police call takers also benefitted from redesigned training with research-based learning modules. These changes led to improved staffing levels and lower attrition rates in 2024.

• Cybersecurity and resilience

E-Comm focused on improving its business continuity and cyber defenses with the increasing rise of cyber threats globally. In 2024, E-Comm’s Technology team completed a robust back-up system to better insulate our services from disruption and put the network through rigorous testing to proactively address vulnerability and better detect potential threats.

Looking ahead – modernizing through NG9-1-1

In 2025 we will focus on maintaining our strengthened operations and service levels, leveraging technology, building resiliency, ensuring more sustainable and predictable costs for our partners, and implementation of Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1).

The federally-mandated implementation of NG9-1-1, a digital network will allow for enhanced information sharing through 9-1-1 in the future, including text and video. E-Comm is preparing to begin migrating to the new NG9-1-1 network in the fall, with a plan of completion by the end of 2025.

The province-wide transition includes not only E-Comm’s 25 regional district partners, but also BC Emergency Health Services and the BC RCMP —marking the most complex transition in Canada, if not North America. The move to NG9-1-1 represents a monumental shift toward modernizing our emergency communications network to better serve the public.

Read the full Transformation Plan Update here.

-30-

About E-Comm

E-Comm is the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in 25 regional districts in British Columbia and provides dispatch services for more than 70 police agencies and fire departments across the province. E‐Comm also owns and operates the largest multi‐jurisdictional, tri‐service, wide‐area radio network in the province used by police, fire and ambulance personnel throughout Metro Vancouver and parts of the Fraser Valley.

The post E-Comm achieves strongest 9-1-1 & non-emergency service levels in 8 years appeared first on E-Comm 9-1-1.

Whether you’re looking for a 24/7 pharmacy, dissatisfied with your dry cleaning or offended by your neighbour’s cologne – general questions, consumer complaints and lifestyle grievances do not belong on 9-1-1.

E-Comm, which handles approximately two million 9-1-1 calls per year, has released its annual list of top ten unusual calls that were received by emergency police call takers at E-Comm in 2024, in order to raise awareness of the importance of keeping 9-1-1 lines for emergencies only.

“We understand that some of these situations might feel urgent to the individual in the moment, but 9-1-1 is not the appropriate number to call if your power goes out or you require tech support,” says E-Comm Police Call Taker Laura. “We must treat every call as an emergency until we know otherwise and each second we spend responding to a call that does not belong on 9-1-1 is time we could be getting help to someone in a life-threating emergency.”

Top 10 List of Calls that did NOT belong on 9-1-1 in 2024

1. Their neighbour was wearing too much cologne
2. The dry cleaners stained their shirt
3. McDonald’s wouldn’t open their doors
4. They wanted directions to a 24/7 Shoppers Drug Mart
5. Complaining the power was out
6. Requesting technical support
7. The box of 38 avocados they purchased were rotten
8. They left their phone in an Uber
9. Requesting help removing a wasp nest
10. There was a domesticated-looking bunny in the park

E-Comm is asking everyone to do their part by helping keep 9-1-1 lines free for in-progress crimes or emergencies that require immediate help from police, fire or ambulance only.

“Most people do use 9-1-1 responsibly, and we absolutely want the public to call for help when they need it in an emergency,” says Police Call Taker Kuzivakwashe. “By directing your non-urgent calls to the appropriate resources such as your local police non-emergency line, you are helping to ensure our call takers are available for real emergency situations.”

Tips on proper use of 9-1-1

9‑1‑1 is for police, fire or medical emergencies when immediate action is required: someone’s health, safety or property is in jeopardy or a crime is in progress.

• Know your location at all times
• Don’t program 9‑1‑1 into any phone
• If you call 9‑1‑1 accidentally, stay on the line and let us know
• Lock and store your cellphone carefully to prevent accidental 9-1-1 calls
• Do not text or tweet 9-1-1
• Call takers cannot transfer your non-emergency call from 9-1-1, nonemergency.ca for a list of alternate resources for reporting non-emergency matters

Interview Opportunity

E-Comm is hosting media availabilities at each of its communications centres.

• Monday, December 30, 9:00am—1:00pm, Lower Mainland Centre, 3301 East Pender Street, Vancouver
• Tuesday, December 31, 9:00am—1:00pm, South Island Centre, 4219 Commerce Circle, Victoria

Interviews will be available with police call takers who can speak to their experience and the importance of protecting B.C.’s critical emergency resources.

Interviews must be confirmed in advance at media@standby.ecomm911.ca

B-Roll, photos and call taker sound bites are available for download here. 

Media contact
Kelly Furey
Media Relations Specialist
604-215-6248
media@standby.ecomm911.ca

About E-Comm
E-Comm is the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in 25 regional districts in British Columbia and provides dispatch services for more than 70 police agencies and fire departments across the province. E‐Comm also owns and operates the largest multi‐jurisdictional, tri‐service, wide‐area radio network in the province used by police, fire and ambulance personnel throughout Metro Vancouver and parts of the Fraser Valley.

The post 9-1-1 is for emergencies, not directions, dry cleaning or overripe avocados appeared first on E-Comm 9-1-1.

The work of our call-takers, dispatchers, technical and support staff is vital to public safety. They help people in the most challenging of situations, and support our emergency responders with compassion, professionalism and dedication.

E-Comm has long stated that changes are needed to ensure our governance, operations and financial model are sustainable and efficient. In particular, E-Comm supports the advocacy of the Union of BC Municipalities and our local government and first responder partners, who for several years have called for a greater provincial role in, and funding for, 9-1-1 and related emergency communication services in B.C. Currently B.C. is one of only two provinces in Canada that has no provincial legislation governing 9-1-1 services, and one of only three provinces that doesn’t provide dedicated operational funding for 9-1-1 services.

Recognizing this, E-Comm initiated and actively participated in two prior reviews, one in 2021 focused on service delivery and the second this year regarding governance. The first, conducted by PwC identified key issues like historic underfunding and understaffing of E-Comm that lead to the investment, supported by our Board, driving the current transformation plan.

As a result of this financial investment from our partners, transformation efforts have made a positive impact on our operations. In fact, we have experienced our best operational performance in years across all areas of the business: 9-1-1, police/fire emergency and non-emergency call-taking, and our consistently reliable wireless radio performance.

The second, the Deloitte governance review completed earlier this year, identified some key changes needed to our governance and financial models which we are in the process of implementing in collaboration with our shareholders.

Our mission is to deliver excellence in emergency communications, and any step to strengthen our ability to do so and ensure a sustainable and effective model is welcome. E-Comm looks forward to participating fully in the independent review. E-Comm’s regular operations and the service-improvement projects underway will continue during the review. British Columbians can continue to rely on our services during this period.

The post E-Comm supports greater provincial role in 9-1-1 and emergency communication services appeared first on E-Comm 9-1-1.

As part of an ongoing education campaign, the public is encouraged to learn about how to “Make the Right Call” – and utilize the proper resources to report scams and frauds through either the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre or their local non-emergency police number.

“Make the Right Call” to report scams & frauds

• To report a scam where money has been lost, call your local police non-emergency line or file a report online. Find your local number or online reporting tool at nonemergency.ca
• To report a scam where no money has been lost, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or visit antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/
• Any crime in progress or threat to your personal safety, such as an extortion attempt or theft, please call 9-1-1

“Ensuring less urgent crimes are properly reported through the correct channels means that our police partners have a more accurate picture of crime trends and new scams that emerge,” explains Kelly Furey, Communications Specialist with E-Comm 9-1-1. “By making the right call to non-emergency or the Anti-Fraud Centre, you are helping to keep 9-1-1 for its intended use – as the lifeline for those who need immediate, emergency help from first responders.”

Reporting crime matters

Reporting all crimes, including scams and fraud, is important and makes communities safer by helping to identify trends and inform proactive police resources and patrols.

As part of the “Make the Right Call” campaign, E-Comm is emphasizing the importance of using your local 10-digit non-emergency police number unique to your community to report crimes with a time delay, or situations that don’t require immediate help.

Key improvements to non-emergency call-taking services for E-Comm’s Lower Mainland police agency partners mean the public can report less urgent crimes such as frauds faster, with the addition of a dedicated non-emergency team and technology enhancements that give callers estimated wait times, call-back options and SMS texting of their police file number. Curious about the best time to call? It’s during the hours of 7 am to 9 pm, when our dedicated non-emergency team are on shift.

With these enhancements, the average call answer time has decreased to less than 2 minutes on average (year to date 2024) compared to over 4 minutes the previous year, for those Lower Mainland police agencies that use E-Comm to answer non-emergency calls on their behalf. This means more callers can get through to report their non-urgent crime in a timely way. These improvements are part of a multi-year Transformation Plan to modernize E-Comm’s service delivery.

Learn more about non-emergency services and how to “Make the Right Call” for fraud, scams and all other crimes that don’t require immediate help at nonemergency.ca.

-30-

About E-Comm

E-Comm is the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in 25 regional districts in British Columbia and provides dispatch services for more than 70 police agencies and fire departments across the province. E‐Comm also owns and operates the largest multi‐jurisdictional, tri‐service, wide‐area radio network in the province used by police, fire and ambulance personnel throughout Metro Vancouver and parts of the Fraser Valley.

Media contact
E-Comm
604-215-6248
media@standby.ecomm911.ca

The post E-Comm encourages you to “Make the Right Call” throughout the busy holiday season appeared first on E-Comm 9-1-1.

Situations that require immediate response such as a crime in progress, fire, medical emergency, or where there’s an imminent threat to safety should be directed to 9-1-1. Crime reports with a time delay, property crime with no suspect on sight or ongoing threat to safety should be reported through your local police non-emergency line.

How to make the right call this Halloween: 

• Halloween decorations: If you notice that your inflatable pumpkin or life-size skeleton have gone missing from your front porch, but there’s no culprit in sight, file a police report online or call the non-emergency line.
• Know your location: The fastest way for our call takers to connect you with help in an emergency is to provide your location. While “the haunted house down the road” won’t help – an exact address will. Landmarks and cross streets can also help us find you quicker.
• Noisy parties: Direct noise complaints to your local city bylaw services during their business hours, or police non-emergency line after hours.
• Fireworks: We receive many reports from callers confusing fireworks for gun shots each year. If you are ever unsure, do not hesitate to call 9-1-1. To file a fireworks related complaint, first check the fireworks regulations in your area, and reach out to your area bylaw services or the police non-emergency line. Reports of fires, serious injuries, or an imminent public safety risk due to fireworks would be a 9-1-1 call.
• Suspicious activity: Help deter break-ins and vandalism by locking your vehicles and keeping valuables out of sight. To report crime or suspicious activity in progress (ie. a stranger trying to open car doors) call 9-1-1. Property crime reports with time delays can be reported through the non-emergency line.
• Road safety: Drivers are reminded to practice extra caution on the road, especially throughout the evening on October 31. Minor car accidents with no injuries can be reported to ICBC directly. To report dangerous driving behaviour such as suspected impaired driving or a collision that requires immediate attention from police, fire or ambulance, call 9-1-1.
• File reports online: Our call takers are here to help 24/7, but online crime reporting is the fastest way to report a non-urgent police matter. Visit nonemergency.ca to see if this is an option for you.
• Prevent pocket dials: Lock and store your devices carefully. E-Comm receives hundreds of accidental calls every day. If you do call 9-1-1 by mistake, stay on the line and let us know you are safe.

“While first responders are busy on the ground this Halloween, our dedicated call takers and dispatchers will be working hard to connect people with the help that they need,” says Carly Paice, E-Comm Communications Manager. “Given the heightened demand for emergency services around Halloween, we are asking everyone to help us keep 9-1-1 lines open for emergencies only. For non-urgent concerns, please call your local 10-digit nonemergency line, or file a report online.”

Stay safe and have a happy Halloween.

-30-

About E-Comm

E-Comm is the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in 25 regional districts in British Columbia and provides dispatch services for more than 70 police agencies and fire departments across the province. E‐Comm also owns and operates the largest multi‐jurisdictional, tri‐service, wide‐area radio network in the province used by police, fire and ambulance personnel throughout Metro Vancouver and parts of the Fraser Valley.

Media contact
E-Comm
604-215-6248
media@standby.ecomm911.ca

The post E-Comm shares safety tips for Halloween appeared first on E-Comm 9-1-1.

While first responders are busy on the ground, call takers and dispatchers are working hard behind the scenes to connect the public with the help they need.

Summer is a peak period for 9-1-1 and E-Comm is already seeing volumes rising with visitors arriving in Vancouver, and more people out and about enjoying summer activities and events.

The emergency communications centre plans for this season year-round, and the Celebration of Light events account for some of the busiest call volumes annually. While additional staff have been scheduled, the fireworks are expected to be a busy event for emergency services, despite the added resources.

There are some important steps you can take to stay safe during the fireworks and help keep 9-1-1 available to those who need it.

• Remember that 9-1-1 is for reporting an immediate threat to safety, a crime in progress, or situations where someone is in medical distress. It is a lifeline, not a general information line.
• Lock and store your devices carefully as you head out to enjoy the show, or finish taking photos and videos of the fireworks. E-Comm receives hundreds of accidental calls every day. If you do call 9-1-1 accidently, stay on the line and let us know you are safe.
• If you need to call 9-1-1 before, during or after the fireworks, knowing your location is the best way for us to connect you with emergency responders on the ground. This can be challenging in a large crowd, so it is important to know the name of the beach or park from where you are watching the fireworks. Major landmarks and cross streets will also help us find you.
• Our call takers do ask a lot of questions so that they can provide the best information to the attending first responders. By following their lead, you will help us to help in the fastest way possible.

Thank you for doing your part to help us help during the Celebration of Lights. Stay safe and enjoy the show!

About E-Comm

E-Comm is the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in 25 regional districts in British Columbia and provides dispatch services for more than 70 police agencies and fire departments across the province. E‐Comm also owns and operates the largest multi‐jurisdictional, tri‐service, wide‐area radio network in the province used by police, fire and ambulance personnel throughout Metro Vancouver and parts of the Fraser Valley.

Media contact
604-215-6248
media@standby.ecomm911.ca

B-Roll/Photos
Updated assets are available for download here.

The post NEWS RELEASE: E-Comm shares safety tips ahead of the Celebration of Light appeared first on E-Comm 9-1-1.